Shawnee County Parks and Recreation gets national accreditation

The Commission for the Accreditation of Parks and Recreation Agencies awarded accreditation Wednesday evening to Shawnee County Parks and Recreation.

CAPRA accreditation demonstrates that an agency is in compliance with national standards of excellence, said Mike McLaughlin, communications and public information director for Shawnee County Parks and Recreation.

John Knight, director of Shawnee County Parks and Recreation, said being awarded accreditation puts the department among an elite group of agencies. Fewer than 2 percent of parks and recreation agencies are accredited, he said.

“Gaining accreditation shows our residents that we are meeting the national standards to deliver the best services to the community,” Knight said.

The Shawnee County department became the fourth entity in Kansas to earn accreditation from CAPRA, with the others being located in Johnson County, Wichita and Fort Riley.